Page 193 - ISES SWC50

Jenniy Gregory
Country: Australia
Year joined industry: 1989
Company first worked for: Victorian Solar Energy Council
Technology area: PV, SWH, biomass, energy efficiency, policy, lobbying
Still active in the industry: Yes

Jenniy Gregory has had a long career in renewable energy and energy efficiency. In 1989 she worked at theVictorian
Solar Energy Council as their Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator. Working with Ken Guthrie they
developed the Solar Report (which was part of theABC Weather) between1989 – 1999 showing % savings off
energy bills (solar hot water system in summer and passive solar-designed house in winterin Mildura & Melbourne,
Victoria Australia). She then travelled to UK and from 1991-2001 Jenniy was the Market Development Manager
for IT Power undertaking renewable energy projects in Europe and the developing world, funded by European
Commission, UN, Asian Development Bank, Swedish Development Agency, World Bank, UK government.She
returned to Australia and from 2002 to 2003 she was Senior Project Manager - Renewable Energy, Sustainability
Victoria. In 2003 she joined the Australian Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) as the Manager of
Industry Development where she was involved in the development of the PV Roadmap and Bionergy Roadmap
and managed the PV Designer and Installer Accreditation scheme and the AEPCA Accreditation. After leaving
BCSE at end of 2007 Jenniy has worked as: National Marketing & Government Relations Manager, Solco. (2008-
2009); Manager Sustainable Technology Development, Energy Technology Innovation Strategy, Victorian
Government (2009-2013) and: Independent Consultant in 2014 before joining AGL in 2014 as their Manager of
their Energy Efficiency Programs. While in the UK she was the inaugural Secretary General, British Photovoltaic
Association represented the UK PV industry, and was on the UK Solar Energy Society committee from 1994
to 1999 and their chair from 1996-1999. She was a committee member IEA Heating and Cooling Task 16,
Photovoltaics in Buildings from 1990-1996 and was on the UK Department of Trade & Industry Solar Advisory
Committee from 1995-2002. She was involved with many conferences, sometimes as organiser. From 1991 –
1994 she wasNGO Media Liaison Officer for ISES and Represented ISES at UNCED PrepComs; assisted NGO
forums (ISES 2000 Initiative. From 1999 to 2003 she was an associate editor of the ISES Solar Energy Journal.

Lalith Gunaratne
Country: Canada
Year joined industry: 1984
Company first worked for: Power & Sun (Pvt) Limited, Sri Lanka - 1986
Technology area: PV
Still active in the industry: Yes

The pioneering solar-PV business was established in Sri Lanka by three partners – Pradip Jayewardene, Viren Perera
and Lalith Gunaratne in 1986.The idea born from a sketch of a mobile solar pump by Micheal Mustachi led the trio to
establish a business to manufacture and market solar home systems for lighting and TV for rural farmers in Sri Lanka.
Futurist Sir Arthur C. Clarke, innovator Dr. Ray Wijewardene and entrepreneur Mr. Prem Sumanasekera mentored
the trio. A USAID funded market/feasibility study concluded that a portion of the 84% rural homes without access
to grid power could afford to purchase a system. The findings helped raise capital through development banks of Sri
Lanka to purchase a PV manufacturing plant from TPK-Solar in Canada. The trio developed an organization led by
Ajit Chanmugam and Prasanna Pathirana on technical and Nimal Lakshpatiarachichi for marketing - to manufacture
solar PV modules with the balance of system to market, sell, install and maintain the systems around the country
through a network of dealers and agents. The original company, Power & Sun (Pvt) Limited promoted the SUNTEC
branded systems to rural farmers who would spend between USD 200 and 400 to purchase a system. Micro
financing was made available through Sarvodaya SEEDS to expand the market. Neville Williams of the Solar Electric
Light Fund in USA discovered the pioneering venture in 1989 and promoted the business model globally which
attracted the World Bank to study it. The World Bank team led by Loretta Schaeffer and Anil Cabraal worked with
the trio to establish a USD 100 million fund for solar and other decentralized renewable energy technologies in
1993 which has seen over 120,000 solar homes systems installed. The venture - reorganised as Solar Power &
Light Company was sold to Shell Renewables International in 1999.

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